Tech Investments Fail Without Training

Here’s How to Get It Right

It happens every day: an organization invests in a powerful new platform, launches it with fanfare, and expects instant results—only to find that months later, no one’s really using it. Or worse, they’re using it halfway, incorrectly, or alongside the same old spreadsheets they’ve always relied on.
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The reason?

The technology was delivered, but the people weren’t brought along.

Digital Transformation Fails More Often Than It Succeeds

It’s not just anecdotal. Research backs it up:

• 70% of digital transformation efforts fail, according to McKinsey.
• A Harvard Business Review study found that only 16% of employees felt their company’s digital transformations improved performance or were sustainable over time.
• Gartner reports that 50% of all change initiatives fail, largely due to resistance or lack of support from employees.

The consistent thread? Organizations are focused on launch—but not longevity.
Training Isn’t a Nice-to-Have. It’s the Make-or-Break.Too many leaders approach training as a one-time webinar, a PDF, or an afterthought tacked on at the end of an implementation timeline. But real training is not just a deliverable, it’s a strategy for adoption, retention, and ROI.

If you’re going to invest in software, automation, or any digital initiative, you need to invest just as seriously in your people’s ability to use, trust, and evolve with it.

What Does it Really Take?Training that works isn’t just about transferring knowledge—it’s about creating buy-in, building muscle memory, and making the new way easier than the old way. That’s change management. And it’s the difference between checking the box and actually changing behavior.

Here’s what it takes to move from tool launch to tool success.

Top 10 Must-Haves for Training That Drives Real Transformation

1. Stakeholder Mapping
   Know who’s impacted, how, and what they need. Not all users need the same training.
2. Training at Multiple Levels
   Executives, managers, frontline teams—each audience needs a tailored message and method.
3. Pre-Launch Communication
   Don’t wait until go-live. Start building awareness and curiosity early to reduce resistance.
4. Hands-On Training, Not Just Slides
   Real transformation happens when people use the tool. Give them a safe space to try, fail, and learn.
5. Contextual Examples
   Show people how this tool helps them do their job better—not abstract functionality.
6. Quick Reference Guides + Job Aids
   Even the best training session gets forgotten. Leave behind smart, searchable support.
7. On-Demand Help
   Build in video tutorials, internal help desks, or even office hours for live support.
8. Champions and Superusers
   Empower a few internal folks to become go-to resources and champions for the change.
9. Feedback Loops
   Create channels for people to ask questions, raise issues, and suggest improvements.
10. Training Is Ongoing, Not One-and-Done
    Offer refreshers, onboarding for new staff, and updates as the system evolves.
    
    

CRAFT Helps Organizations Bridge the Gap
At CRAFT, we work with organizations that are serious about making their investments count. We’ve supported state DOTs, national public sector teams, life sciences companies, HR leaders, and tech startups, not just in selecting the right tools, but in implementing them with their people in mind.

We combine communications, training design, and change management strategy to make sure that what you build doesn’t just launch, it lasts.

Let’s talk about how to build training into your transformation. Visit www.cocraft.org.